Our two-year-old loves to pray over meals, and it always goes exactly like this, “Dear Jesus, thank you for our food.” And then ends with a very loud, enthusiastic, “AMEN!”. My husband and I smile every time we hear her say this simple prayer.
Last week, she stumbled across a small leather-bound prayer book and she excitedly asked, “Mama what is this tiny bible? Can I read it?” I, of course, responded with, “Yes”. She was flipping through the pages when she prayed this simple prayer, “Dear Jesus, thank you for our bible. AMEN!”
My eyes immediately filled with tears as I thought about how simple prayer truly is and how precious those simple words must be to Jesus. I thought about how many times I take simple things for granted and forget to offer up thanks and gratitude.
One thing I love about her prayers is that they are always full of gratitude. Philippians 4:6 gives us a simple formula for prayer. It advises us to be anxious for nothing, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.
I believe thanksgiving is key. Prayer should begin with gratitude and then we should make our request known to God. A simple way to do this is by beginning each day with the scripture, “This is the day the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it.” Psalm 118:24
Every day is a gift, and reflecting on this scripture each morning positions our hearts to a place of gratitude. Not every day is easy, not every day goes exactly as planned, but it is the day the Lord has made, and we shall rejoice and be glad in it.
So, as you pray these few simple prayers, I encourage you to do it from a place of gratitude. Here are 5 simple prayers to pray before your feet even hit the floor in the morning.
1. “Lord, direct my steps.”
Leaning on the Lord to direct our steps should be a daily act. We must ask God to direct our steps and be willing to surrender our plans to His ways which are far greater than ours. (Isaiah 55:9) Surrender takes trust. A lack of trust is a lack of understanding of God’s character. Ask the Lord daily what he would have you do with your day, and then be willing to follow his lead.
“Teach me to do your will, for you are my God; may your good spirit lead me on level ground.” Psalm 143:10
2. “Lord, guard my mouth.”
Our words are powerful. James describes the tongue as a rudder leading and guiding us toward life or destruction. Though it is small, it has a mighty effect on our life. It is imperative that we lean on the Lord daily to help us tame our tongues.
James 3:8 tells us that, “no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.” We must ask for the Lord’s help in this area, and we must stay mindful of what we say and speak over ourselves and others.
“When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal. 4 Or take ships as an example. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go. 5 Likewise, the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark.” James 3:3-5 3
3. “Lord, fill my thoughts.”
“Our thoughts become our words, our words become our actions, our actions become our character and our character is everything.” – Frank Outlaw
We must be intentional about what thoughts we allow to linger in our heads. Thoughts become words, and we saw above just how powerful words are. A verse I meditate on often when my thought life begins spiraling is Philippians 4:8, “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.”
We can fill our minds with the Word of God rather than just any thought that comes our way, and we can also daily ask the Lord to help us keep our minds fixed on things that are holy and pure.
4. “Lord, open my eyes.”
We should desire to see people and circumstances the way God does. “Lord, let me see others how you see them. Lord, open my eyes to the circumstances around me.”
My husband and I have attended a prophetic small group, and the leader encouraged us to pray for God encounters with people around us. This requires having our eyes and hearts open. Which leads me to our final prayer.
5. “Lord, reveal your heart to me.”
This is the center of everything. The more we align our lives with God’s heart the more peace, love, and joy we will have. “Lord, make the desires of your heart the desires of my heart.”
Let’s get to know our Father’s heart. Let’s ask him to reveal himself to us more each day. He promises us that when we seek him, we will find him. (Jeremiah 29:13)
Reference: laurenprezzano
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